Mental Health and Posttraumatic Growth in Civilians Exposed to Ongoing Terror

This study investigated negative and positive emotional outcomes among civilians exposed to ongoing terror. The measures included direct, indirect, and subjective exposure to terror; human resources; posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms; distress; and posttraumatic growth (PTG). The results indicate that whereas direct exposure is not related to the outcomes, exposure of family members to terror is positively related to PTS and to PTG. Path analysis revealed an indirect relationship between subjective exposure and PTG mediated by PTS, suggesting the role of emotional suffering in inducing growth. Clinical implications of incorporating PTG strategies into the treatment of terror victims are discussed.